Fort Washington Catholic school to close

Friday, Feb. 22, 2008

Fort Washington Catholic school to close

by Ryan McDermott | Staff Writer

E-mail this article \ Print this article

A Catholic school in Fort Washington will close its doors at the end of this school year as declining enrollment has resulted in a need for substantial financial subsidies.

At St. Ignatius School in Fort Washington, enrollment has declined 40 percent in the past five years from 203 in the 2002-2003 school year to just 120 students this year, said Susan Gibbs, an Archdiocese of Washington spokeswoman.

As a result, the parish needed an additional $205,000 in fiscal year 2006-2007 and will need an extra $273,000 this year.

Tuition for parishioners is $3,800 per person and tuition for non-parishioners is $5,180. Only six students in the school are members of the parish.

The school will send its students to continue their education in one of six nearby Catholic schools — Holy Family in Hillcrest Heights, St. John the Evangelist in Clinton, St. Philip the Apostle in Camp Springs, Mt. Calvary in Forestville, St. Mary of Piscataway in Clinton and St. Thomas More in Washington, D.C.

The decision comes after consultation with the Parish Pastoral Council, Parish Finance Council and leadership of the Home School Association, Gibbs said. The Rev. Robert A. Finamore also held meetings with parents and staff before requesting permission to close the school.

To ensure a smooth transition, the Archdiocesan Catholic Schools Office will meet with the faculty, staff and parents later this month, Gibbs said, to assist faculty and staff with applying to other Catholic schools and parents with enrolling their children in neighboring schools that have the space.

The Archdiocese of Washington includes 580,000 Catholics, 140 parishes and nearly 31,000 students attending 106 early learning, elementary and secondary schools in Washington, D.C. and five Maryland counties: Calvert, Charles, Montgomery, Prince George’s and St. Mary’s. Prince George’s County is served by 25 Catholic schools, including 19 elementary schools.